The American Beagler Forum

Doc, We have an elderly beagle... 13/14 years and he is obesely overweight. Prior to my becoming a part of his life, he was fed anything and everything and is probably 20lbs overweight. He becomes very aggresive and territorial around the food bowl... almost viscious. He's bitten people to protect his food/find of food. The funny thing is, if it's a child involved he's much less aggresive and has never bitten a child. We take both of our dogs to work.. they are very loved and cared for... but we can not throw food away or food wrappers away in waste bins under our desks or Ru with find it, knock over the garbage and devour it... and if we try to take it away limbs are at stake. He is so overweight he can barely get up or down stairs... he winces with pain at times and his legs are bowed and arthirtic. I am trying to limit his food intake to 1 cup 2X daily... I know he pilfers more than this... our younger dog was losing out of food and know she's becoming more aggresive about meal time. What can we do... I'd like to help him become a healther animal to live out his days... Please advise.

Thanks

i would switch over to a lean type feeding program....and stick withit.....figure out how much YOU feed the dog each day...because YOU control how much the dog is fed...you have to be committed your goal of a healthier dog and do not give in to begging or whining from the dog,,,or his cute little face and eyes that make him look hungry..stick to a feeding schedule...alos...visit your vet and get the vets insight.....
dont mean to sound harsh...but that is what i would do...

good luck

joe t

Sue,
Hi...one of our beagles was getting severely over weight...he is 17 inches and weighed in at 53 pounds...Vet said "that is one BIG beagle"...it took us a year but he lost 7 pounds. Our vet was impressed with it when he saw him....and wanted to know what we had done. Because hubby always gives in and gives him goodies...I stopped giving him anything extra and cut his food to 1 cup a day. The weight lose wasn't so fast as to make him sick but came off gradually. Vet did yell at hubby though...hubby told him because 'mommy' starves him he has to give him extra....vet told hubby "just because HE thinks he is hungry..doesn't mean you have to feed him!!"

Some people just don't realize how fat their dogs get if they let them. One lady with a big fat beagle at the Vets asked me if mine were sick -- they looked so skinny.

2 cups a food per day plus treats and table scraps is way too much food! My dogs are athletes, getting plenty of exercise and training each day and I feed them 1 - 1 1/2 cups of food and no treats and absolutely no table scraps! Plus your dog is old and his metabolism has slowed way down. You control how much he weighs - cut his food way way back.

We don't normally feed Purina, but I truly feel like their Fit'N'Trim (sp?) is the best food for an older dog. You're gonna have to get hard-hearted, but if you put that food down for him and don't give him anything else, you'll see the weight come off. As he looses weight, you'll see him perk up, too. I can tell you from first-hand experience what extra weight does to old joints, lol!

If you have to, put him up or in another room when you have dinner. That way he can't melt your resolve with those eyes while you're eating. I wouldn't put this hound anywhere around food being served or eaten.

I would suggest that you feed your dogs once a day and separately. We have to do that with the outside beagles. There are only 2 dogs out of 17 that we trust to feed together. The best of friends will whip each other over a morsel of food, then they're best friends again when the food is gone. If you get on a once-a-day routine, they'll appreciate the food in front of them better, eat it right away and be done with it. It won't hurt them one bit to only be fed once a day when you can control the environment. Good luck!